Reviews with content warning for Cursing - Just For The Summer

Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez

16 reviews

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'd like to thank Ms. Abby Jimenez for delivering me my first 5-star read of the year (yes, I know it's the end of May😭). Now, I rarely place 5-star predictions on books, but I had been in a such rut to the point where I was ITCHING, BEGGING, PLEADING for a 5-star read. I had read my first Abby Jimenez book, Yours Truly, about three months ago and I rated that book a 4.75/5 and it quickly became my favorite book of the year so far. I love Yours Truly with every fiber of my being, but there were a few tiny details keeping it from being a 5-star. As mentioned previously, I was in a bit of a reading rut so when I remembered Just For The Summer was coming out I got very excited. However, I was really trying to dim my expectations because just because I loved one book by her doesn't mean I'm gonna love the next one, but despite me trying to be pragmatic I still had it in the back of my brain that this was going to be a 5-tsar and MY GOSH was I happy that I was right. This book was phenomenal! It was perfect!

Things I loved:

I really appreciated Emma as a character. She really gave me the complexity that I wasn't expecting. Usually, when I enter romances, I kind of self-insert when it comes to the female character. So, if I feel like their behavior isn't something that I'd do I tend to not vibe with them which is what was happening with Emma in the first quarter of this book. I liked her, but her overly positive attitude toward bad circumstances and the "if you're gonna choose anger over empathy, choose empathy" attitude wasn't really my cup of tea and I feared that this book wouldn't receive a high rating because of how I felt towards the FMC. And this is when I really had to take a step back and realize that this book is partly about a FMC named Emma, not about me. Emma possesses self-destructive qualities, she has a forgiving heart, she is nomadic, and she has a fearful avoidant attachment style. That is what made her character dynamic and I shouldn't harp on that just because she doesn't behave in the way that I would behave. Emma is not a bad person at all; she is human and has dealt with a lot of things which in turn made her the person that she is. Throughout this story, we really do get to witness Emma's development as well as understand why she operates the way she does and it was honestly such a delight to read about. Honestly, I ended up loving Emma in the end so kudos to Abby Jimenez for being able to create such a realistic character.

Okay, like I stated previously Yours Truly was my favorite book of the year for a long time and that is partly because I absolutely ADORED Jacob in that book. He was literally everything I wanted in a book boyfriend and he still is don't get me wrong, but Justin has now taken that position. As I was reading I wondered how Abby was gonna top Jacob and feared that I had set my expectations too high. Well, she did! Justin is LITERALLY the STANDARD. No joke. He's literally chef's kiss! He's everything I would want in a real boyfriend to be quite frank. I'm not into tropes, but Justin is a prime example of "boy falls first" and boy does he fall. He's so sweet and attentive and the things he does for her just right off the bat
he literally creates surveys for her to complete when going on their first few dates. I kid you not when I read that scene for the first time I literally squealed and had to pause the book cuz I couldn't believe it. I looked forward to seeing the surveys every time they popped up. If a guy did that for me for our date, I'd fall in love immediately. Hands down. And later in the book where he literally uses a unicorn floaty or whatever to get to her when she's sick. That literally took him over an hour but he was DETERMINED to get to her. I just about melted. He also goes out of his way to make her food for lunch cuz he knows she's had a long day at work. Ughhhhhhh, there's so much more!
He would literally drop everything for her and literally just enjoy being around her company; it's literally the sweetest thing ever. I also love Justin's personality. I love how kinda shy, awkward, witty, and charming he is. As well as how respectful he is too. I love how consent is valued in this book and both characters display it beautifully. I love seeing his relationship with his family as well as an onlook between his character and the things he's struggling with. Although he's not as dynamic as Emma, I'm glad there's more to him than just being the love interest in this book. Again, I can literally go on. He's literally my favorite MMC of hers and that's saying something because I LOVE Jacob. I plan on going through her backlist and reading the rest of her books and I just know that none of them will match up to this Justin hangover that has been bestowed upon me, I just LOVE him so much!🥹❤️

Emma x Justin! Beautiful! Gorgeous! Precious! Meant to be! Just everything! I loved them individually but I also LOVED them when they were together. The banter, phenomenal! The way that they also matched each other's energy was so great! I love the way Abby Jimenez captured their relationship and their dynamic in this book. I think she displayed beautifully the urge that one has when they've encountered someone they feel romantically tethered to. They missed each other and when they didn't they always wanted to be around each other and when they were around each other they couldn't get enough of each other. I couldn't help but relate to that feeling while reading this book because she illustrates perfectly just how one feels when feels like they've found their person.

The feelings that I had during this book should be criminal. I was giggling, kicking my feet, going crazy over how cute it was. As well as tearing up a few times over how emotional it got. As well as audibly laughing cuz there were so many funny parts. There were literally so many times when I was just smiling because I loved witnessing the characters interact with one another. I really FELT for this book and all the characters in it.

The development - As someone who used to experience a heavy case of fearful avoidant attachment style I knew after the first quarter who I was dealing with and I honestly felt so seen. I actually think this was the main reason why I wasn't too fond of Emma in the beginning. Certain behaviors that she displayed reminded me of my past self and it was really jarring to see that in the form of a fictional character.
I did a good amount of self-sabotaging in my day however, I moved passed those types of behaviors, which is why it really hurt me to my core that Emma rejected Justin the first time. I think I even teared up during that scene because I knew all she wanted was to be loved; she just didn't know how to handle it. I was hurting for him and for her because I can relate to her thought process of feeling detached from almost everyone and fearing getting close to someone in fear of abandonment.
Her "getting small" tidbit was also so relatable. As well as seeing the depiction of her relationship with her mom. Witnessing that really goes to show just how much your upbringing can affect the rest of the rest of your life. I really admired how Abby Jimenez handled Emma's character, especially in concerns about the conflict they face later in the book. I felt like everything was handled responsibly and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

the friendship(s) - Emma's friendship with Maddy was chef's kiss! I loved them together. It was sooo abundantly clear that there is love there on both sides and throughout the entire book Maddy has been team Emma's happiness and I really like the way it was depicted. I also liked the friendship that Justin had with his friends. They were so sweet and understanding of him and his predicament. It was so heartwarming to read!

i felt like this book was a little genz-coded in a way and it was really funny to read about it
like the bit with the J names was funny; seems like Abby Jimenez has made it her mission to redeem guys with the J names and you know I'm not mad about it; and the "if he wanted to he would" bit was also very funny

I really liked how the characters from her previous two books connected in this book. It made me wish that I read "Part of Your World" just so I can get the satisfaction of seeing all the characters, but that's okay I'll go back cuz I think Abby Jimenez might become an auto-read author for me. Can't wait to read "Part of Your World"!
I wonder in Part Of Your World if they mentioned who Daniel's mom was and that he was raised by his grandparents and that he was trying to find his mom. I feel like maybe the people would've guessed who Emma's brother would be if they read the 1st book but I didn't sooooooo. Also, I'm guessing Neil is in the 1st book, but because I didn't read that I didn't hate him. I actually thought it was pretty interesting to see how he was in the 1st book considering how they talked about him in this one.
Also, I find it so cool how this series is centered around doctors. I wonder if Abby Jimenez has any connection to that world in her personal life.

Additional notes (some critics):

wished we got more of emma doing things for justin; something that i really valued in yours truly the fact that both characters went out of their way for each other, not saying that emma didn't do that for justin, but i don't think the scales were evenly balanced when it came to that aspect
there are certain phrases
"being small" and "am i the asshole"
that are used repeatedly that kinda irk me a bit, but that's just a personal qualm of mine cuz I kid to cringe at certain things
also like i stated previously i kinda wish justin was a bit more dynamic and we got more of him

Overall, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! I'm so happy I read it. Honestly, I remember when I finished it I was dumbfounded cuz I didn't know what to do with myself afterward. I kid you not after I finished the book, I lowkey wanted more. I was so connected to them that I honestly could've read an extra 100 pages. And I never say that. THAT'S how much I absolutely adored this book! Again, I'm so happy I read this. I had been in such a rewarding rut and a 5-star read was just what I needed to get back into the swing of things. This book really holds a special place in my heart now and I genuinely hope that I'll continue to remember these characters because they really are precious to me!

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5/5

Content Warnings

bringmybooks's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

✨Bring✨ | ~~Borrow~~ | ~~Bypass~~

Thank you to Edelweiss, Forever, & Hachette Book Group for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

Review: Abby Jimenez's books are just so. dang. FUN. I love how there are super serious topics presented in each of her novels, but that they are done in a way that lets you go through the tough things without feeling like you've been clobbered. This probably wasn't my favorite of the books, just because the logic/plot portion of it missed a bit for me (for the most part, I'm able to suspend disbelief for her plots, but this one felt a bit too far-fetched). That being said, I can definitely say that if you've liked her previous books, I would feel fairly confident recommending this one to you as well!

Overall Rating: ★★★★ / 4.13

Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★

★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it

Content Warnings

katievallin's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really liked this. I don't think I could've gotten through it if I hadn't listened to it though because there wasn't much action. I really liked the audiobook narrators. I won't be reading this again because all the stuff about mental illness was difficult and painful for me.

Content Warnings

marioosa517's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

abooklikeyou's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I finished. I’m a blubbering mess. And idk how I got through life without this book.

This is why you never say never. I thought I was done with Abby, even though I gave Part of Your World 5 stars. And despite the few issues I had with this book, I couldn’t see giving this one any less than a 5, too. Because she just has a freakin’ way. And I hate to admit that, but she does. I laughed, I cried, and I loved. And I’m thankful to have read such a beautiful story. 😭💕

To elaborate on my thoughts and feelings... I did dislike the amount of cursing, and I could have done with out the bed scene - HOWEVER - this story was so well fleshed out and just unmatched on so many levels. I was able to set aside any minor qualms for that reason.

Let's talk about Justin for a minute - this man, y'all. He is so good! All the things he did for Emma (from the surveys to the unicorn floatie), the way he pursued her gently and never shied away from making his intentions for her clear. I wish I could go into more detail, but I couldn't without spoilers. Just know I absolutely gushed.

Now, let's talk about the trauma. Actually, I don't even know what to say except that this was done so well. My heart absolutely broke for Emma, especially as the story progressed and even more lies were unraveled.

The way I wish I would have filmed a full-out spoiler vlog for this... but at the same time, I'm so glad I got to experience this without distraction. I think we all know how big of a deal it is that I loved this book so much, because I'm so picky with my romances these days. I'll just say, I may be picky, but I also have a big heart. And this book had a tight hold on it!

So, even if you have doubts, just pace yourself going in. This is not a fluffy Rom Com. While it has it's sweet and funny moments, it also has really deep, meaningful, and heart-wrenching moments. But I implore you to pick it up and give it a try, because I've never quite read a story like it... and I truly hope you love it as much as I did!

I also highly recommend making sure you at least read Part of Your World prior to this one, because the CONNECTION was next level. It made my little heart whole!

Content Warnings

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

like all of abby jimenez’s books, this was an enjoyable summer read with some serious life undertones. however, in this book the character’s didn’t have a ton of chemistry imo, they just felt like really good friends. but i really liked the plot and how the characters from previous books made an appearance.

Content Warnings

amateur_bookworm's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My summary:

Emma stumbles across a Reddit post by a guy named Justin complaining about having a curse where every girl he dates goes on to find her soulmate immediately after they break up. Emma messages Justin to commiserate because she has the exact same curse. After chatting back and forth, they come up with the foolproof plan of dating each other so that they can break up and then find their soulmates and end their respective curses. Their initial chemistry draws Emma, a traveling nurse, to lMinnesota to date Justin, a software engineer. Despite agreeing to only date for the summer and then break up, Justin and Emma may actually be each other’s soulmates but at a time in their lives where the odds are stacked against them.

My thoughts:

I have already read the book and loved it. Listening to it was just as good, if not better! I literally caught myself repeatedly grinning while listening. This is a can’t-miss read (or listen).

I love that Abby Jimenez writes romance but with substance and tough topics. This has likable, relatable characters and witty banter. I literally laughed at loud at times. But for being a fun romance, there are some seriously heavy topics in here too. It is a perfect mix of fun and sweet and serious.

I was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed both narrators immediately, as this is usually not the case for me. I think both narrators are a great fit for their characters and it makes listening enjoyable.

This is a great book as a standalone, but for maximum impact, I recommend reading at least Part of Your World and Yours Truly first. Both of those are also five star reads for me so it’s completely worth the time to read them also. And if you want the *full* experience then also read the three books of The Friend Zone series.

Content Warnings

juanat77's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

marinajonesreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Of the three books in this shared world, this is my favorite. The traumas felt real, the emotions felt real and the sadness felt real. I loved the lesson that sometimes, love isn’t the only thing to consider. I also liked that really, you can read this book without the others. I love the shared universe concept.

Emma and Justin were adorable. Emma is a protagonist I can get around. So very very flawed but also very relatable. I understood where she was coming from and my heart broke for her throughout.

Content Warnings

rjohnson0583's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.5

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